Junction fuse and switch box



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. P. BOSSERT. V JUNCTION FUSE AND SWITCH BOX.

No. 552,658. Patented Jan. '7, 1896.

M. 'WZZZVLJ-ZZM 17 505551121 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I WQP. BOSSERT.

JUNGTION FUSE AND SWITCH BOX. No. 552,658. I Patented Jan. 7, 1896.

Q. at Mill/A ANDREW BEHANAM. PHOYO-LIMQWASHINGTON D C UniTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. BOSSERT, OF UTICA, NEV YORK.

JUNCTION FUSE AND SWITCH BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,658,dated January '7, 1896.

Application filed April 3, 1895. Serial No. 544,305. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

lie it known that 1, WILLIAM F. Bossnnr, of ['tica, in the county of Oneida and State of Xew York, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in a Combination J unction Fuse ant Switch Box; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and numerals of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specifi cation.

.ly invention relates to an improvement in combination junction fuse and switch boxes.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification, and in which similar letters and numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts in the several views, Figure 1 shows a face view of the box with the cover removed or open. Fig. 2 shows a vertical section of the box shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a partial view of a modified form of construction. Fig. -lshows a sectional view of the construction shown in Fig. Fig. 5 shows in detail a short fuse-wire with its two attaching plates.

Referring to the reference letters and nu morals in a more particular description of the device, 1 indicates a casing provided with a back or bottom 2, of insulating material, on which the mechanical parts of the device are mounted.

3 is the cover of the box, which may be entirely removable or be hinged to the body of the box. From the bottom or back is placed and secured the pole-pieces A A, which are extended into position to receive the feed-wires 1 l, which pass through the insulated bushings into the casing, preferably from the under side,and are secured by a screw-clamp or binding-post (5.

The fuseb0x, as shown, is arranged for what is termed the triple-circuit system, in which the two wires 44: act as feed-wires. The pole-piece B is removed or separated from the pole-piece A, and is supported on insulatingcolumns 7 from the back. To the pole-piece B is connected, by means of a screw-clamp or binding-post S,tl1e return-circuit wire 9,which passes through insulated bushings in the lower side of the case, as shown. Arranged along the upper portion of the case adjacent to the pole-pieces A and B are uprights or posts a and I), which are insulated from the polepicces A and B, except for the fuse-wires 10 and 11, which connect the pole-piece B with the standard or post Z) and the pole-piece A with the standard or post a, respectively. These fuse-wires are shown in detail in Fig. 5, and consist of two circular slotted clip-pieces 0c and 1 connected by the fuse-wire and adapted to be clamped. by the screws on the polepieces and posts or standards, respectively. On the standards A and B are secured the cireuit-springs 12 and 13, with their swinging ends arranged to come in contact with the binding-posts 1i and 15, arranged adjacent to the upper edge of the box. In the bindingposts 1% and are secured the ends of the local sub-circuit wires 16 and 17, which pass out through the openings with insulated bushin gs in the upper side of the box. The circuitsprings 12 and 13 are spread or separated to bring their ends in contact with the bindingposts 14 and 15 by turning the oval-shaped key 18, which is of insulating material and located between the springs and pivoted on the insulating back of the box. The key18,when turned to the position to separate the springs, engages in the hollows h in the sides of the springs 12 and 13, whereby it is enabled to retain its position without liability of displacement.

The junction fuse and switch box herein shown and described is more particularly in tended for use in the electric lighting of buildings, in which case the main circuit or feed and return wires 4 and 9 are brought into the building and into the box and coupled to the pole-pieces, as described. The local circuits terminating in the ends 16 and 17 may con tain the electric lights arranged through the building, and each circuit is preferably made to cover one room or one suite of rooms,which may be thrown into or out of circuit by turning the key 18 of the local or sub-circuit. In case of an excessive current, the fuse-wires 10 and 11 located at either end of the circuit serve the purpose of protecting the lamps and mechanism on the local circuits.

It is evident that the device could be rearranged fora single-line circuit instead of a triple-line circuit, by simply connecting the two pole-pieccs A A or forming them in one piece.

In the modified "form of construction shown in Figs. 8 and 4, the springs 12 and 13 are mounted directly on the pole-pieces A and B, and their ends are adapted to come in contact with the insulated standards a and Z), respectively, which standards are connected by fusewires 10 and 11, as before described, to the binding-posts 1 L and 15. The springs are operated by an oval-shaped key 18, similar to the other construction.

lVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is.

1. The combination of a casing, a pole piece A and a pole piece B separated and inclosed in the casing, insulated studs or posts a and Z), fuse wires 10 and 11, spring switches 12 and 13, binding posts ll and 15, and a local circuit connected with the binding posts 11- and 15, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of positive and negative pole pieces insulated from each other, having means for attachment of main circuit wires a series of local circuits, a fuse wire at each end of the local circuit spring switches at each end of the local circuit having hollows in their adjacent sides and a rotary key for operating the spring switches and engaging in the hollows thereof, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have affixed. my signature in presence of two witnesses.

XVILLIAM F. BOSSERT. \Vitnesscs:

GEORGE C. CARTER, E. WILLARD J oNEs. 

